‘Healing Hans’ at 70

Milestone for FCB legend Dr Müller-Wohlfahrt

Created on 12-08-2012 at 00:00 AM

Jupp Heynckes says he is “a phenomenon," Lothar Matthaus reckons he has “radar fingers," and former Bayern coach Dettmar Cramer called him “a lucky break for German football." The man in question is Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, Bayern's club doctor for 35 years and arguably the world's leading practitioner of sports medicine. The doctor, known in the English-speaking world as “Healing Hans", is 70 on Sunday.

“He's a phenomenon as a doctor and a person. He's there for us day and night. He does his job with such passion that it's not work for him," Heynckes recently said. The doctor sits next to the boss in the dugout for home matches and Champions League fixtures. “He's unique. I really like him, and I hope he remains healthy and stays with us for a very long time."

Müller-Wohlfahrt, the youngest of three brothers, was born on 12 August 1942 in the East Friesian town of Leerhafe. His father, a minister, insisted on a austere and strict upbringing, and the young Mull worked out for two hours every day. His father opposed him studying medicine on the grounds that it distorted a person's character.